JPH0697800B2 - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents
Ultrasonic probeInfo
- Publication number
- JPH0697800B2 JPH0697800B2 JP25760185A JP25760185A JPH0697800B2 JP H0697800 B2 JPH0697800 B2 JP H0697800B2 JP 25760185 A JP25760185 A JP 25760185A JP 25760185 A JP25760185 A JP 25760185A JP H0697800 B2 JPH0697800 B2 JP H0697800B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- backing material
- ultrasonic probe
- piezoelectric element
- resin
- ultrasonic
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】 〔概 要〕 超音波診断装置の超音波探触子であって、その超音波発
生用圧電素子の後面より該素子を保持するバッキング材
を、軟かいゴム状樹脂でコーティングした有機又は無機
粉体を比較的硬度が大きい樹脂に分散させた構造とする
ことにより、減衰率が大きくなり、良好な応答特性と小
型化を可能とする。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Outline] An ultrasonic probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein a backing material for holding the ultrasonic generating piezoelectric element from a rear surface thereof is made of a soft rubber-like resin. By adopting a structure in which the coated organic or inorganic powder is dispersed in a resin having a relatively high hardness, the attenuation factor is increased, and good response characteristics and miniaturization are possible.
本発明は超音波診断装置の超音波探触子に関するもの
で、さらに詳しく言えばそのバッキング材の改良に関す
るものである。BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more specifically to improvement of a backing material for the ultrasonic probe.
最近、医学にエレクトロニクスが盛んに応用されるよう
になって来ているが、その一つに超音波診断装置があ
る。この超音波診断装置は超音波が体内組織中を伝搬す
ることを利用して体内の断層像を得るもので、映像には
２〜10MHzの超音波を体表から送波し、臓器の表面など
で反射された超音波すなわちエコーを受波し、伝搬時間
から反射体の距離を計測するものであり、その超音波ビ
ームの走査には振動子を機械的に動揺させる機械的方法
と、振動子を多数配列しておき、電子的に走査する方法
（電子スキャン）の何れかが用いられる。本発明は電子
スキャンを用いる超音波探触子に関するものである。Recently, electronics have been actively applied to medicine, and one of them is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. This ultrasonic diagnostic device obtains a tomographic image of the inside of the body by utilizing the propagation of ultrasonic waves in internal tissues. For the image, ultrasonic waves of 2 to 10 MHz are transmitted from the body surface, and the surface of organs, etc. It receives ultrasonic waves reflected by the device, namely echo, and measures the distance of the reflector from the propagation time.The mechanical method of mechanically oscillating the vibrator for scanning the ultrasonic beam, and the vibrator Any one of a method of electronically scanning by arranging a large number of pixels (electronic scanning) is used. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe that uses electronic scanning.
第３図は従来の超音波探触子の１例を示す図である。こ
れは、超音波発生用に圧電素子１を用い、その音波放射
側には圧電素子と媒体との整合を取るための１〜３層の
音響整合層２と、超音波を集束するための音響レンズ３
とが設けられ、反対側には不要な音波を吸収するための
バッキング材４が設けられ、これらがハンディ型のケー
ス５に収容されている。FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional ultrasonic probe. This is because a piezoelectric element 1 is used for ultrasonic wave generation, the acoustic wave emitting side thereof has 1-3 acoustic matching layers 2 for matching the piezoelectric element and the medium, and acoustic waves for focusing the ultrasonic waves. Lens 3
And a backing member 4 for absorbing unnecessary sound waves are provided on the opposite side, and these are housed in a handy case 5.
従来のバッキング材は、音波の減衰を大きくする為に、
比較的軟かい樹脂にタングステンなどの粉末を分散させ
たものを用いているが、このような軟かいバッキング材
では圧電素子を貼り付けダイシングする時に素子に加わ
る力でバッキング材が変形し、分割寸法の精度が出ない
上、完成後も、使用時に加わる圧力の為にバッキング材
が変形し圧電素子の破壊、電極の切断、整合層の剥離な
どの問題を引き起こす原因となっていた。The conventional backing material, in order to increase the attenuation of sound waves,
A relatively soft resin in which powder such as tungsten is dispersed is used, but with such soft backing material, the backing material is deformed by the force applied to the piezoelectric element when dicing and sticking the piezoelectric element, and the division dimension In addition, the backing material is deformed due to the pressure applied during use, resulting in problems such as destruction of the piezoelectric element, cutting of the electrode, and peeling of the matching layer even after completion.
またバッキング材を硬くする為に、樹脂を硬いものにす
ると音波の減衰が少なくなり、良好な応答特性が得られ
なくなる。従って良好な応答特性を得るためにはバッキ
ング材の背面から返って来る音波を小さくするためにバ
ッキング材を厚くする必要があり、超音波探触子が大型
になるという欠点が生ずる。If the resin is made hard to make the backing material hard, attenuation of sound waves is reduced, and good response characteristics cannot be obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain good response characteristics, it is necessary to make the backing material thick in order to reduce the sound waves returning from the back surface of the backing material, which causes a drawback that the ultrasonic probe becomes large.
本発明はこのような点に鑑みて創作されたもので、硬度
が高く、且つ音波の減衰の大きいバッキング材を有する
超音波探触子を提供することを目的としている。The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an ultrasonic probe having a backing material having high hardness and large attenuation of sound waves.
このため本発明においては、圧電素子１の音波放射面に
１層以上の音響整合層２及び音響レンズ３を有し、該圧
電素子１の後面をバッキング材４で保持した構造を持つ
超音波探触子において、前記バッキング材４は、軟かい
ゴム状樹脂11でコーティングした有機又は無機粉体10を
比較的硬度が大きい樹脂12に分散させたものであること
を特徴としている。Therefore, in the present invention, an ultrasonic probe having a structure in which the acoustic wave emitting surface of the piezoelectric element 1 has one or more acoustic matching layers 2 and an acoustic lens 3, and the back surface of the piezoelectric element 1 is held by a backing material 4. In the tentacle, the backing material 4 is characterized in that an organic or inorganic powder 10 coated with a soft rubber-like resin 11 is dispersed in a resin 12 having a relatively high hardness.
上記バッキング材を音波が伝播する場合、粉体は回りを
軟かい樹脂で囲われている為、振動し易い状態にあり、
音波のエネルギーを振動による周りの樹脂との摩擦熱に
交換する。このため全体としては固いが音波の減衰を大
とすることが可能となる。When a sound wave propagates through the backing material, the powder is surrounded by a soft resin, and thus is in a state of easily vibrating,
The sound wave energy is exchanged for frictional heat with the surrounding resin due to vibration. For this reason, although it is hard as a whole, it is possible to increase the attenuation of sound waves.
本実施例は第３図に示した従来例と同様に圧電素子１、
音響整合層２、音響レンズ３、バッキング材４、ケース
５等を具備して成り、異なるところはバッキング材４の
構成を変えたことである。即ち本実施例のバッキング材
４は、第１図にその断面を示すように、金属又は金属酸
化物などの無機粉体或いは有機物の粉体等の粉体10の表
面に軟かいゴム状樹脂11（シリコーンゴム、ポリウレタ
ン、エポキシ樹脂、ニトリルゴム、ポリブタジエン、ナ
チュラルゴムなど）をコーティングしたものを、硬度の
大きな樹脂12（エポキシ樹脂、フェノール樹脂、ジアリ
ルフタレート樹脂など）に混合分散させたものである。This embodiment is similar to the conventional example shown in FIG.
The acoustic matching layer 2, the acoustic lens 3, the backing material 4, the case 5 and the like are provided, and the difference is that the configuration of the backing material 4 is changed. That is, the backing material 4 of this embodiment has a soft rubber-like resin 11 on the surface of a powder 10 such as an inorganic powder such as a metal or a metal oxide or an organic powder, as shown in the cross section of FIG. A material coated with (silicone rubber, polyurethane, epoxy resin, nitrile rubber, polybutadiene, natural rubber, etc.) is mixed and dispersed in resin 12 (epoxy resin, phenol resin, diallyl phthalate resin, etc.) having high hardness.
なおこのバッキング材４の作製は、粒径が５〜40μｍの
酸化鉄（Fe2O3）の粉体をトルエンで希釈した熱硬化型
シリコンゴムの溶液中に浸し、良く撹拌した後、余分な
溶液を捨て、常温で乾燥させトルエンを蒸発させ、その
後電気炉内で150℃でシリコンゴムを加熱硬化させ、こ
の樹脂コーティングされた酸化鉄粉体をエポキシ樹脂
（チバガイギー社製XN1019とXN1113を重量比で2:3に混
合したもの）に15〜70容量パーセントで混合分散した
後、真空脱泡し、120℃で加熱硬化した後、所定の大き
さに成形加工される。このように形成されたバッキング
材４には第２図に示すように圧電素子１及び整合層２を
接着剤で貼り付け、これにダイシングソーで切り目６を
入れ素子を分割した後、整合層２の上に音響レンズ（図
示省略）を貼り付けて超音波探触子が完成される。なお
バッキング材４と圧電素子１との間にも音響整合層を入
れる場合もある。The backing material 4 was prepared by immersing a powder of iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) having a particle size of 5 to 40 μm in a solution of thermosetting silicone rubber diluted with toluene, stirring well, and then removing the excess. The solution is discarded, the toluene is evaporated at room temperature to evaporate the toluene, and then the silicone rubber is heated and cured at 150 ° C in an electric furnace. (2: 3) and mixed and dispersed at 15 to 70% by volume, degassed in vacuum, heat-cured at 120 ° C., and then molded into a predetermined size. As shown in FIG. 2, the piezoelectric element 1 and the matching layer 2 are attached to the backing material 4 formed in this way with an adhesive, and the dicing saw is used to make cuts 6 to divide the element. An acoustic lens (not shown) is attached on the above to complete the ultrasonic probe. An acoustic matching layer may be provided between the backing material 4 and the piezoelectric element 1.
このように構成された本実施例は、そのバッキング材４
中を音波が電播すると、粉体10は回りを軟かい樹脂で囲
われていて振動し易い状態にあるため音波のエネルギー
を振動による回りの樹脂との摩擦熱に変換し、減衰させ
ることができる。前記の酸化鉄粉体をシリコンゴムで処
理したものは、処理しないものの２〜３倍の8dB/mm（3.
5MHzにおいて）の減衰が得られる。従ってバッキング材
を薄くしても良好な特性が得られるため探触子の小型化
が実現できる。The backing material 4 according to the present embodiment configured as described above is used.
When the sound wave is electroplated in the inside, the powder 10 is surrounded by a soft resin and is in a state of being easily vibrated. Therefore, the energy of the sound wave can be converted into friction heat with the surrounding resin due to the vibration and attenuated. it can. The above-mentioned iron oxide powder treated with silicon rubber is 2 to 3 times as much as 8 dB / mm (3.
Attenuation of (at 5MHz) is obtained. Therefore, even if the backing material is thin, good characteristics can be obtained, so that the probe can be downsized.
またバッキング材が硬いという特徴のため、使用時に外
わる外力による圧電素子の破壊、電極の切断、整合層の
剥離などの問題が無くなる。さらに第２図に示すように
圧電素子を短冊状に分割する場合、従来の軟かいバッキ
ング材では、ダイシング時に加わる力のため変形し切断
ピッチＰの精度が出ないが本発明ではそのような問題は
ない。In addition, since the backing material is hard, problems such as destruction of the piezoelectric element, cutting of electrodes, and peeling of the matching layer due to external force applied during use are eliminated. Further, when the piezoelectric element is divided into strips as shown in FIG. 2, the conventional soft backing material is deformed due to the force applied during dicing and the cutting pitch P is not accurate, but such a problem occurs in the present invention. There is no.
以上述べてきたように、本発明によれば、外力が加わっ
た時、素子の破壊、電極の切断、整合層の剥離などが起
らず、また超音波探触子の小型ができる等の効果を有
し、実用的には極めて有用である。As described above, according to the present invention, when an external force is applied, destruction of the element, cutting of the electrode, peeling of the matching layer, etc. do not occur, and the ultrasonic probe can be downsized. It is extremely useful in practice.
第１図は本発明の実施例のバッキング材の断面を示す
図、 第２図は電子走査型探触子の製作時のダイシング工程を
示す図、 第３図は従来の超音波探触子を示す図である。 第１図、第２図、第３図において、 １は圧電素子、 ２は音響整合層、 ３は音響レンズ、 ４はバッキング材、 ５はケース、 10は粉体、 11は軟かいゴム状樹脂、 12は比較的硬度が大きい樹脂である。FIG. 1 is a view showing a cross section of a backing material according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a dicing process in manufacturing an electronic scanning type probe, and FIG. 3 is a conventional ultrasonic probe. FIG. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, 1 is a piezoelectric element, 2 is an acoustic matching layer, 3 is an acoustic lens, 4 is a backing material, 5 is a case, 10 is powder, and 11 is a soft rubber-like resin. , 12 are resins having relatively high hardness.
フロントページの続き (72)発明者 渡辺 一宏 神奈川県川崎市中原区上小田中1015番地 富士通株式会社内 (56)参考文献 特公 昭60−23560（ＪＰ，Ｂ２)Front page continuation (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Watanabe 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Within Fujitsu Limited (56) References Japanese Patent Publication Sho 60-23560 (JP, B2)
Claims (3)
音響整合層（２）及び音響レンズ（３）を有し、該圧電
素子（１）の後面をバッキング材（４）で保持した構造
を持つ超音波探触子において、 上記バッキング材（４）は、軟かいゴム状樹脂（11）で
コーティングした有機又は無機粉体（10）を比較的硬度
が大きい樹脂（12）に分散させたものであることを特徴
とする超音波探触子。1. A piezoelectric element (1) having at least one acoustic matching layer (2) and an acoustic lens (3) on a sound wave emitting surface, and the back surface of the piezoelectric element (1) is backing material (4). In the ultrasonic probe having a retained structure, as the backing material (4), the organic or inorganic powder (10) coated with the soft rubber-like resin (11) is changed to a resin (12) having a relatively high hardness. An ultrasonic probe characterized by being dispersed.
との間に少なくとも一層の音響整合層を有することを特
徴とする特許請求の範囲第１項記載の超音波探触子。2. The piezoelectric element (1) and a backing material (4).
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one acoustic matching layer between and.
いることを特徴とする特許請求の範囲第１項記載の超音
波探触子。3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric element (1) is divided into strips.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP25760185A JPH0697800B2 (en) | 1985-11-19 | 1985-11-19 | Ultrasonic probe |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP25760185A JPH0697800B2 (en) | 1985-11-19 | 1985-11-19 | Ultrasonic probe |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPS62118700A JPS62118700A (en) | 1987-05-30 |
| JPH0697800B2 true JPH0697800B2 (en) | 1994-11-30 |
Family
ID=17308530
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP25760185A Expired - Lifetime JPH0697800B2 (en) | 1985-11-19 | 1985-11-19 | Ultrasonic probe |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH0697800B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP5545056B2 (en) * | 2010-06-16 | 2014-07-09 | コニカミノルタ株式会社 | Ultrasonic probe backing material, ultrasonic probe using the same, and ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging apparatus |
| JP5672823B2 (en) * | 2010-07-30 | 2015-02-18 | コニカミノルタ株式会社 | Ultrasonic probe backing material, ultrasonic probe using the same, and ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging apparatus |
| GB2520511A (en) | 2013-11-21 | 2015-05-27 | Surf Technology As | Ultrasound transducer |
-
1985
- 1985-11-19 JP JP25760185A patent/JPH0697800B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS62118700A (en) | 1987-05-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXPY | Cancellation because of completion of term |